Developer supply container and developer supplying system

Abstract

An engaging portion 30 is provided which is engageable with a portion-to-be-engaged 11 b a displaceable integrally with a developer receiving portion 11 with a mounting operation of a developer supply container 1 to displace 11 in an upward direction U to bring a receiving opening into communication with a discharge opening. An engaging portion 30 includes a first engagement surface 31 a extending in the upward direction U as going toward a developer accommodating portion of the developer supply container 1 , and a second engagement surface 32 a provided at a position closer to the developer accommodating portion than the first engagement surface 31 a . When the receiving opening in communication with a shutter opening, a height of an end of the first engagement surface 31 a close to the developer accommodating portion is higher than the second engagement surface 32 a.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A developer supply container detachably mountable to a developer receiving apparatus, the developer receiving apparatus including a developer receiving portion provided with a receiving port for receiving developer and including a portion-to-be-engaged capable of displacing integrally with the developer receiving portion, the developer supply container comprising:
 a rotatable developer accommodating portion for accommodating the developer; 
 a discharging portion provided at a bottom side thereof with a discharge opening for discharging the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating portion; 
 an engaging portion engageable with the portion-to-be-engaged with a mounting operation of the developer supply container to displace the developer receiving portion in a displacing direction so as to bring the receiving port into fluid communication with the discharge opening; and 
 a supporting portion provided upstream of the engaging portion in an inserting direction in which the developer accommodating portion is inserted into the developer receiving apparatus, the supporting portion extending in a direction of a rotational axis of the developer accommodating portion, and the supporting portion being capable of supporting the portion-to-be-engaged delivered from the engaging portion, 
 wherein, when the discharge opening and the receiving port are in fluid communication with each other, a maximum height of the engaging portion is higher than a supporting surface of the supporting portion that supports the portion-to-be-engaged. 
 
     
     
       2. A developer supply container according to  claim 1 , wherein the engaging portion and the supporting portion are integrally molded with each other. 
     
     
       3. A developer supply container according to  claim 1 , wherein a downstream end of the supporting portion in the inserting direction is between a bottom end portion and a top end portion of the engaging portion. 
     
     
       4. A developer supply container according to  claim 1 , wherein the supporting portion connects to the engaging portion between a bottom end portion and a top end portion of the engaging portion. 
     
     
       5. A developer supply container according to  claim 1 , wherein a predetermined gap is provided between the engaging portion and the supporting portion. 
     
     
       6. A developer supply container according to  claim 1 , wherein the engaging portion includes a first inclined surface extending upwardly as going toward an upstream side in the inserting direction and a second inclined surface extending downwardly as going toward the upstream side in the inserting direction. 
     
     
       7. A developer supply container detachably mountable to a developer receiving apparatus, the developer receiving apparatus including a developer receiving portion provided with a receiving port for receiving developer and including a portion-to-be-engaged capable of displacing integrally with the developer receiving portion,-the developer supply container comprising:
 a rotatable developer accommodating portion for accommodating the developer; 
 a discharging portion provided at a bottom side thereof with a discharge opening for discharging the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating portion; 
 an engaging portion engageable with the portion-to-be-engaged with a mounting operation of the developer supply container to displace the developer receiving portion in a displacing direction so as to bring the receiving port into fluid communication with the discharge opening; and 
 a supporting portion provided upstream of the engaging portion in an inserting direction in which the developer accommodating portion is inserted into the developer receiving apparatus,—the supporting portion extending in a direction of a rotational axis of the developer accommodating portion, and the supporting portion being capable of supporting the portion-to-be-engaged delivered from the engaging portion, 
 wherein the supporting portion is provided at a position downstream of the supporting surface in the inserting direction with a portion higher than a supporting surface of the supporting portion supporting the portion-to-be-engaged at the time when the discharge opening and the receiving port are in fluid communication with each other. 
 
     
     
       8. A developer supply container according to  claim 7 , wherein the engaging portion and the supporting portion are integrally molded with each other. 
     
     
       9. A developer supply container according to  claim 7 , wherein a predetermined gap is provided between the engaging portion and the supporting portion. 
     
     
       10. A developer supply container detachably mountable to a developer receiving apparatus, the developer receiving apparatus including a developer receiving portion provided with a receiving port for receiving developer and including a portion-to-be-engaged capable of displacing integrally with the developer receiving portion, the developer supply container comprising:
 a rotatable developer accommodating portion for accommodating the developer; 
 a discharging portion provided at a bottom side thereof with a discharge opening for discharging the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating portion; 
 an engaging portion having a fixed portion at one end and a free end portion at the opposite end, the engaging portion being capable of deforming by engagement with the portion-to-be-engaged with a mounting operation of the developer supply container to displace the developer receiving portion in a displacing direction so as to bring the receiving-port into fluid communication with the discharge opening; and 
 a supporting portion provided upstream of the engaging portion in an inserting direction in which the developer accommodating portion is inserted into the developer receiving apparatus, the supporting portion extending in a direction of a rotational axis of the developer accommodating portion, and the supporting portion being capable of contacting the engaging portion that is deformed to support the portion-to-be-engaged delivered from the engaging portion, 
 wherein a maximum height of the engaging portion when the engaging portion and the supporting portion contact with each other is higher than a supporting surface of the supporting portion-that supports the portion-to-be-engaged when the discharge opening and the receiving port are in fluid communication with each other. 
 
     
     
       11. A developer supplying system comprising:
 a developer receiving apparatus including a developer receiving portion provided with a receiving port for receiving developer and including a portion-to-be-engaged capable of displacing integrally with the developer receiving portion; 
 a developer supply container detachably mountable to the developer receiving apparatus, the developer supply container including:
 a rotatable developer accommodating portion for accommodating the developer; 
 a discharging portion provided at a bottom side thereof with a discharge opening for discharging the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating portion; 
 an engaging portion engageable with the portion-to-be-engaged with a mounting operation of the developer supply container to displace said developer receiving portion in a displacing direction so as to bring the receiving port into fluid communication with the discharge opening; and 
 a supporting portion provided upstream of the engaging portion in an inserting direction in which the developer accommodating portion is inserted into the developer receiving apparatus, the supporting portion extending in a direction of a rotational axis of the developer accommodating portion, and the supporting portion being capable of supporting the portion-to-be-engaged delivered from the engaging portion, 
 
 wherein, when the discharge opening and the receiving port are in fluid communication with each other, a maximum height of the engaging portion is higher than a supporting surface of the supporting portion that supports the portion-to-be-engaged. 
 
     
     
       12. A developer supplying system comprising:
 a developer receiving apparatus including a developer receiving portion provided with a receiving port for receiving developer and including a portion-to-be-engaged capable of displacing integrally with the developer receiving portion; 
 a developer supply container detachably mountable to the developer receiving apparatus, the developer supply container including: 
 a rotatable developer accommodating portion for accommodating the developer; 
 a discharging portion provided at a bottom side thereof with a discharge opening for discharging the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating portion; 
 an engaging portion engageable with the portion-to-be-engaged with a mounting operation of the developer supply container to displace the developer receiving portion in a displacing direction so as to bring the receiving port into fluid communication the discharge opening; and 
 a supporting portion provided upstream of the engaging portion in an inserting direction in which the developer accommodating portion is inserted into the developer receiving apparatus, the supporting portion extending in a direction of a rotational axis of the developer accommodating portion, and the supporting portion being capable of supporting the portion-to-be-engaged delivered from the engaging portion, 
 wherein the supporting portion is provided at a position downstream of the supporting surface in the inserting direction with a portion higher than a supporting surface of the supporting portion supporting the portion-to-be-engaged at the time when the discharge opening and the receiving port are in fluid communication with each other. 
 
     
     
       13. A developer supplying system comprising:
 a developer receiving apparatus including a developer receiving portion provided with a receiving port for receiving developer and including a portion-to-be-engaged capable of displacing integrally with the developer receiving portion; 
 a developer supply container detachably mountable to the developer receiving apparatus, the developer supply container including:
 a rotatable developer accommodating portion for accommodating the developer; 
 a discharging portion provided at a bottom side thereof with a discharge opening for discharging the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating portion; 
 an engaging portion having a fixed portion at one end and a free end portion at the opposite end, the engaging portion being capable of deforming by engagement with the portion-to-be-engaged with a mounting operation of the developer supply container to displace the developer receiving portion in a displacing direction so as to bring the receiving port into fluid communication with the discharge opening; and 
 a supporting portion provided upstream of the engaging portion in an inserting direction in which the developer accommodating portion is inserted into the developer receiving apparatus, the supporting portion extending in a direction of a rotational axis of the developer accommodating portion, and the supporting portion being capable of contacting the engaging portion that is deformed to support the portion-to-be-engaged delivered from the engaging portion, 
 
 wherein a maximum height of the engaging portion when the engaging portion and the supporting portion contact with each other is higher than a supporting surface of the supporting portion that supports the portion-to-be-engaged when the discharge opening and the receiving port are in fluid communication with each other.